Did i get screwed?

[Eddo Rogue]

Despite what most car salemen will say, AUTOMOBILES ARE NOT AN INVESTMENT !!!
They are one of the biggest money loosing liablities out there, only Boats\RVs & bad Marriages are worse.
So I look at the price I've paid for all the vehicles in my life, as each one being too much.
All you can do is shop around, use your best judgement to minimize the financial damage, & don't shop vehicles again, until you have to.
Consider yourself lucky if you've got a vehicle that is reliable\maintainable\affordable for your situation.

While this is generally true, there are exceptions the rule, especially nowadays in these weird times. Besides things like the "chip shortage", people are starting to appreciate well made older stuff. I'm not talking about high end or rare vehicles only, some regular cars too, can gain value, or at least pay for themselves.

I look at it as everything has operating and maintenance costs, even stock portfolios. How much money has that vehicle made you getting you to work and back every day? What would it cost you in time, money or effort for transportation otherwise? I would consider that an ROI, even after costs, unless its a piece of crap vehicle lol.
My F150 has made me money and cost me very little in maintenance and repairs. By hauling tools for jobs etc... and one time I came up on a (junky) boat because the guy needed it out of his rental and had no way of towing it. I made a few bucks selling it.

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of money pit vehicles out there. But for example, I would have gotten a lot more than I paid for my 1985 bronco if I had it to sell now. Trucks are especially in high demand around here.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I have a hard time believing any of those things like Carfax. Mileage is “usually” close unless there was an erroneous report along the way or no reporting. PA asks for mileage every year but nothing gets checked or verified and I’ve even seen it just plain missing (like it will say that the plate was renewed but no mileage next to it). Of course, my insurance reported an extra 100k on my one truck when it got wrecked and I’m still arguing with them over that.

My F-150 supposedly had 69k on it when I bought it, but wear on different parts made it look more like it had 169k. Still have no idea what the honest mileage is and kinda don’t really care. Pretty sure the 300 under the hood cares less than I do about the mileage, that thing doesn’t understand the word quit. It sat for about 5 months and started right up the other day.

The things that really concern me is when it shows a “clean” Carfax but half the vehicle is replaced panels and new paint. I’ve seen a lot of those. And I’m irritated that my 92 ended up totaled. Despite being dented and rusty, up until the wreck it was a “straight“ body. Every panel was original and had not been realigned or anything until I took the hood off to replace the motor. That seems to be increasingly uncommon. Probably because people suck.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Heres a screenshot from the vincheck.info site.

I question this because...
A) You would think the seller name would be listed...not just "N/A"
B) You dont have to state the mileage on the title in michigan for any vehicle older then 10 years old (IIRC. Its 10 or 12, either way the truck was 16 when i bought it) which brings me to...
C) Why would anyone bother to roll back the miles on a 16 year old run of the mill F250 anyways? Even at 122,000 it was still pretty low/average mileage and being a big block/2wd i dont think they would of gotten anything more for it at 62 as they would of at 122. Espicially not in 2013 when gas was out of sight and the economy sucked.
D) Why pay 7900 bucks for the truck as is just to roll the mileage back and sell it for 9300? I realize profit is profit but you have to be the king of sleaze to waste time, effort, and probably money to try and make a few extra hundred then you already were planning on on a 16 yr old Fseries.

Furthermore, if this truck does truely have almost 180,000 on it its the best driving ford pickup with that many miles i have ever owned. Its smooth, steering is good and tight,pulls good, shifts good and will cruise 80-85 all day without a whimper.

I never buy vehicles for investments...and it has been a good truck (mostly) and still surprises me with what it will do. Im mostly just irritated/curious.

Also, no, when we renew tags we dont have to state the odometer reading.

So....guess it is what it is. Pry just have to plan on a full rebuild sooner then i thought. Lol.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Sometimes ignorance truly is bliss lol.

 

[DILLARD000]

Revisiting past choices & wishing for something different is usually pointless
& can be self destructive, at least in the case of vehicles\girlfriends\wives.
"Grass is always greener..."

 

[fastpakr]

Revisiting past choices & wishing for something different is usually pointless
& can be self destructive, at least in the case of vehicles\girlfriends\wives.
"Grass is always greener..."

Unless your wife really is a living breathing nightmare that's slowly tearing you down to nothing...

 

[holyford86]

Unless your wife really is a living breathing nightmare that's slowly tearing you down to nothing...

I had a girlfriend like that once, not a fun time, do not recommend.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I had a girlfriend like that once, not a fun time, do not recommend.

Me too except the being torn down to nothing was not slow.

 

[fastpakr]

Mine was a very drawn out process. Made it fourteen years before throwing in the towel and it nearly killed me.

 

[Blue 92]

When I bought my Ranger I got a stack of receipts for work that was done, all with mileage documented. One of them was written wrong - either that or the guy drove 20K miles in 7 days!

 

[Snoranger]

When I bought my Ranger I got a stack of receipts for work that was done, all with mileage documented. One of them was written wrong - either that or the guy drove 20K miles in 7 days!

Maybe he drove around at 120mph, constantly, for that week.

 

[Blue 92]

Well - it is a fast truck...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Well - it is a fast truck...

Gotta be a 2.9 then right?

 

[Blue 92]

3.0, but I've heard it's got all the power of the 2.9, right? (And fuel mileage of the 4.0)

 

[holyford86]

Me too except the being torn down to nothing was not slow.

Mine either, took about 8 months, glad it's over with now, been 3 years and I still have nightmares.